Waiting for Greg
by BrandiAlyssa
Summary: Greg's working in Montana when he gets a message from home. Can he make it home in time? Last in my Sandles Set.


**AN:** Part of my series, the very end in fact. Very sad and tragic; character death. It's a sweet but sad ending that I'm not going to ruin with a note, so I'll say it now. R&R please. And the thing with the rental agency, I just made it up from somewhere.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, not even Randi. Truthfully, she's my beta.

* * *

Greg was processing the evidence in the Helena Crime Lab when his phone rang. He stripped off one glove and flipped it open. Giving a brief glance at the name, Catherine, he answered it. "Sanders."

"_Greg, it's Catherine. You need to come home tonight."_

"Can't it wait a few days? I'm almost finished with this case." Greg sent another sample to be tested.

Catherine's voice came through the phone tear-choked and devastated. "_It's Sara._"

Greg stopped what he was doing and breathed deeply. "What's going on, Cath? Where's Sara?"

"_She was on her way home when someone hit her in the Denali; they were waiting for her, Greg._"

"Where is she? A-and how's the baby?" His words came out tense.

"She—she's at the Desert Palms Hospital. They—" Greg could hear the woman take a shuddering breath, "they don't know whether she or the baby will make it through the night."

Greg began packing evidence back in its box when the head investigator at HCL walked in; he flashed a glance at her and continued. "Calm down, Cath, just for a minute. Tell Sara I'm on my way right now; I'll be home as soon as I can." Greg hung up and put the lid on the box.

"Greg, where are you going?" Head Investigator Miranda 'Randi' Temple could be intimidating and no one dare defy her. She didn't really like one syllable answers either.

"Home." Greg carried the evidence box to the storage room. He had been in the building long enough to have the layout of the lab memorized like the one back home, eight months to be exact. He put it on the shelf and turned to find Randi blocking his way. "Randi, I need to get home to Vegas."

"Shift isn't over yet, Greg."

"Move Randi!" Greg shoved her aside. "My wife and child are in Vegas dieing." He took off down the hall for the locker room.

"Oh." Randi went after him, hot on his heels. "Greg."

"What!?"

"Hurry; I'll call ahead to the airport and find you a flight to Vegas." Greg thanked her and she headed for her office, determined to get him home.

* * *

_The snow in Montana was three feet high  
The lady at the counter said: There ain't no flights  
And so he called her on the telephone  
He said: I'll rent a car and I'll drive home_

Greg pushed through the three feet snow in front of the Helena airport. He excused his way through the line to the ticket counter.

"Miranda Temple of the Helena Crime Lab should have called to inquire about an emergency flight for a Greg Sanders to Vegas."

"Yes, sir, she did. Unfortunately, there are no flights available."

"My wife and child are dieing; I need to get to Vegas!" Greg told her.

"I'm sorry, there are no seats available or anyone willing to wait. The next flight is tomorrow morning at eight."

"Never mind." Greg moved away from the counter, pulling out his phone as he did.

"_Desert Palms Hospital; how may help you?_"

"My name is Greg Sanders. I was informed earlier this evening that my wife, Sara Sanders, was admitted. I am inquiring into her condition."

"She is conscious but not stable," the operator informed him.

"May I speak with her?" Greg paced in a circle.

"Just a moment." Greg heard a click, then ringing began.

"_Hello,_" a familiar voice filled Greg's ears.

"Oh my God! Sara?" He couldn't believe his ears.

"_Greg! Is it really you? Where are you?_" Greg could tell talking caused her pain.

"Don't talk, Sara, I'll explain. There are no flights out of Helena until morning. But I'll be there, I promise. I'll rent a car and drive down tonight. I'll make it I promise."

_And she said: I'll wait for you  
Like I did last year  
At Christmas time with your family here  
And your truck broke down out in San Antone  
And the gifts stayed wrapped until you got home  
Oh, this ain't nothin' new  
Sweetheart, I'll wait for you  
_

"_Drive__carefully, Greg; I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait for you._" Sara sounded confident, even through the pain. "_Just like I did last year, when everyone was here for Christmas and Ecklie made you work. Your truck broke down and you couldn't make it back for nearly two days. Everything stayed wrapped until you got home. It will be like that; I'll wait for you._"

"I love you so much, Sara. I'll be there as soon as I can; don't give up on me."

"_I won't and neither will the baby."_

"It's alive!?"

"_Barely, but the doctor said it sustained no damage, I took most of it. Hurry Greg, I'll wait for you._" Sara's voice choked off with a cough.

"Get some rest; we can talk more later."

"'_Kay. See you later, Greg._" The phone clicked in Greg's ear and he put the phone away. He looked around for a car rental agency and walked over to the counter.

"I'll take whatever you have ready to go," Greg told the receptionist.

"Yes sir. Where will you be traveling today?" he asked.

"Vegas."

"So far? Was there no flights available?"

"Not a single one and it's an emergency. So please hurry."

"Name?"

"Gregory Sanders."

"Business or personal?"

"Both, but under business."

"Place of employment?"

"Las Vegas Crime Lab, CSI Level 2."

"Your car will be waiting out front. It's our last one, a Coupe Deville. Here are your keys and have a safe trip." Greg gave the man the payment and trudged back outside, where a blue car sat idle, a valet standing near. Greg thanked the man, climbed in, and drove out of sight.

* * *

_Now he's on his cell phone in a Coupe Deville  
Talkin' to the one he loves and always will  
His heart is breakin' 'cause she's there alone  
Her heart is achin' 'cause she wants him home  
She says: I'll wait for you like in '68  
When our child was due, but I said, he'll have to wait  
Until his dad gets here and stands by my side  
Remember, Dear, our son's first cry  
Oh, this ain't nothin' new  
Sweetheart, I'll wait for you_

Greg drove as fast as he could possibly go without breaking the law. He had the phone to his ear, telling Sara how much he wanted to be there. His heart was breaking because he wasn't with her, she was there alone.

"_Greg, get here fast. I'll wait for you, but hurry. I'll wait like I did in '08 when our son was born. I said he couldn't be born until you were there by my side. The moment you were there, he was born. Remember his first cry?_"

"How could I forget? He was so cute; now he's three and still growing. I'll be there I promise for you and the baby."

"_I know. I'll wait for you_."

* * *

_He didn't stop all day to eat a bite  
And he finally got there around midnight  
The doctor said, she's in a better place  
She said to give this you this note just in case_

Greg drove all day. He didn't stop for anything. Around midnight, he pulled up to the Desert Palms Hospital. He ran inside and found the rest of the team, Grissom, Catherine, Nick, and Warrick, among others, sitting in the waiting room. They all sat with their heads in their hands, some crying, others just devastated.

"Where are they?" Greg asked. Everyone raised their heads. Catherine walked over and wrapped him in a hug, one he returned. "How are they?"

"She was fine until eleven. She's been going downhill ever since."

"Sanders." A doctor in a white lab coat stood near the others, calling for Sanders.

Greg walked up to him. "I'm Greg Sanders. How is—how is my wife and child?"

"I'm sorry, she passed on; she's in a better place. She asked me to give this to you if she didn't make it until you arrived." He handed Greg a white sheet of paper covered in Sara's neat script.

_And it said, I'll wait for you at Heaven's gate  
Oh, I don't care how long it takes  
And I'll tell Saint Pete I can't come in  
Without my love and my best friend  
Oh, this ain't nothin' new  
Sweetheart, I'll wait for you  
P.S. I love you, too  
Sweetheart, I'll wait for you_

Greg carefully opened the letter and read:

_**Greg,**_

_**I'll wait for you at Heaven's Gate; I don't care how long it takes, even if it's a hundred years. When I see Saint Pete, I'll tell him I can't go in yet; I can't go in without my love and best friend. I can't believe I'm writing this, but it's nothing new. I'll wait for you, Sweetheart.**_

_**Forever yours,**_

_**Sara**_

_**P.S.**_

_**I love you too. I'll always wait for you.**_

Greg sank to his knees and cried. His love was gone and still waiting for him. He looked up with realization. "What about the baby, did I lose it too?"

"No; before your wife died we managed to deliver a healthy, beautiful baby girl. Do you want to see her?" Greg nodded and followed the doctor; he didn't realize everyone was following him. The doctor led him into the maternity ward where the newborns lay.

Greg looked in the room to see a nurse picking up a pink bundle. She looked up and saw him looking, before beckoning him over. She handed him the baby in her arms, which he took gently.

The ex-lab rat cradled the newborn like she was made of glass. He looked up for the doctor, who had disappeared. He looked at the waiting nurse instead. "What's her name?"

"Your wife didn't give her one before she passed. Will you name her?"

"Elizabeth." He looked to the window where his team was waiting for him. "Elizabeth Catherine Sanders." He gave little Elizabeth back to the nurse before leaving.

The nurse had walked away when Nick approached. "What did you name her?" Greg told them his daughter's name. "I'm sure she would love it. Let me take you home. You can stay at my place if you want."

"Thanks, but no." Tears still lingered on his face; Greg wiped them away. "I need to be at home; I have a six year old to take care of. I can't abandon Alex, no matter how I feel." Greg walked out with the letter clutched in his hand, and drove home to his son.

After dismissing the babysitter, Greg entered his son's room and picked him up. He rocked Alex gently and sat in the rocking chair he had given Sara. He fell asleep like that, Alex in his arms and tears on his face.


End file.
